Key takeaways
- A newly qualified accountant in a large organisation typically earns £60,000 in London and £45,000 to £58,000 elsewhere in the UK, according to Hays's 2026 salary guide.
- AAT's 2025 salary survey puts the median salary of a full AAT member (MAAT) at £38,188, and of a fellow (FMAAT) at £50,000.
- AAT students earn a median of £27,000 at Level 2, £27,331 at Level 3 and £28,750 at Level 4, according to AAT's 2025 survey.
- Hays's typical London salary for a part-qualified finalist is £60,000 for ACCA and CIMA, £48,000 for CIPFA and £46,000 for ACA.
- In general practice, Hays puts a typical trainee accountant at £24,000 to £33,000 by region and a practice director at £77,000 to £135,000.
- Northern Ireland and Wales have the lowest typical newly qualified salaries in Hays's guide, at £45,000 and £46,000 in large organisations.
- For comparison, ONS data published on 22 October 2026 puts UK median full-time pay at £811.20 a week in April 2026.
Accountant salaries in the UK depend on your qualification, your stage and where you work. AAT members earn a median of £38,188, a newly qualified chartered or certified accountant typically earns £45,000 to £60,000 depending on region, and finance directors in large London organisations typically earn around £225,000. The figures below come from the Hays 2026 salary guide and AAT’s 2025 salary survey.
Where do these salary figures come from?
They come from two salary studies and one official benchmark. Each measures something slightly different, so compare like with like.
- Hays UK Salary and Recruiting Trends 2026. Typical salaries by role and region, compiled during 2025 from Hays job listings, offers and candidate registrations. It excludes benefits and bonus.
- AAT Salary Survey 2025. Median salaries reported by AAT students and members. AAT runs it every two years.
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Official pay across all jobs, used here as a benchmark.
No 2026 ICAEW or ACCA member salary survey was published that we could find.
How much do AAT students and members earn?
AAT pay rises with each level, and the jump at full membership is largest. These are medians from AAT’s 2025 survey of students and members.
| AAT stage | Median salary 2025 | Median 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2 student | £27,000 | £24,500 |
| Level 3 student | £27,331 | £24,000 |
| Level 4 student | £28,750 | £26,000 |
| Full member (MAAT) | £38,188 | Not given |
| Fellow (FMAAT) | £50,000 | £44,000 |
AAT says the MAAT median is 33% above the Level 4 student median. Median bonuses were £1,250 for MAATs and £2,500 for FMAATs. Hays puts a typical AAT studier at £30,000 in London and £26,000 to £30,000 in other regions.
How much do part-qualified accountants earn?
A part-qualified accountant near the end of ACCA or CIMA typically earns more than an ACA student at the same stage. Hays’s typical finalist salaries for 2026:
| Qualification | London finalist | North West finalist |
|---|---|---|
| ACCA | £60,000 | £44,000 |
| CIMA | £60,000 | £45,000 |
| CIPFA | £48,000 | £42,000 |
| ACA | £46,000 | £37,000 |
Trainees on any of the four typically start between £23,000 and £35,000, depending on region. To budget for study, see our pages on ACCA exam fees, ACA exam fees and AAT fees.
What does a newly qualified accountant earn by region?
A newly qualified accountant typically earns between £43,000 and £60,000, with London highest. These are Hays’s typical figures for 2026, for large organisations and SMEs.
| Region | Large organisation | SME |
|---|---|---|
| London | £60,000 | £60,000 |
| South East | £58,000 | £56,000 |
| East of England | £55,000 | £55,000 |
| South West | £55,000 | £55,000 |
| West Midlands | £55,000 | £50,000 |
| East Midlands | £53,000 | £50,000 |
| North West | £52,000 | £50,000 |
| North East | £52,000 | £48,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £52,000 | £47,000 |
| Scotland | £52,000 | £47,000 |
| Wales | £46,000 | £43,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £45,000 | £43,000 |
Pay rises quickly after qualifying. In London, Hays’s typical salary moves from £60,000 when newly qualified to £80,000 with two to four years’ post-qualified experience, and £100,000 with five or more years, in large organisations.
How much do accountants in practice earn?
Practice pay follows a clear ladder from trainee to director. Hays’s general practice figures for 2026, comparing London with the North West:
| Practice role | London | North West |
|---|---|---|
| Trainee accountant | £33,000 | £25,000 |
| Semi-senior | £37,000 | £29,000 |
| Qualified senior | £53,500 | £45,000 |
| Manager | £75,000 | £57,000 |
| Director | £135,000 | £92,000 |
Across all regions, typical trainee pay in general practice runs from £24,000 to £33,000, and director pay from £77,000 in Northern Ireland to £135,000 in London. If you run a firm, use these figures when planning a first hire; see hiring your first employee.
What do senior finance roles pay?
Senior in-house roles pay the most. Hays’s typical London figures for large organisations are £150,000 for a financial controller, £225,000 for a financial director and £325,000 for a group finance director or CFO. Outside London, a financial director in a large organisation typically earns £120,000 to £185,000.
How do accountant salaries compare with UK average pay?
Most qualified accountants earn above the UK median. The ONS put median full-time weekly pay at £811.20 in April 2026, up 5.8% on a year earlier. Median gross annual pay for full-time employees in the same job for at least a year was £40,911. These figures are provisional and will be revised in October 2027.
To see what a salary means after tax, use our take-home pay calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a newly qualified accountant earn in the UK?
Hays’s 2026 guide puts typical newly qualified pay at £60,000 in London and £45,000 to £58,000 in other regions, for large organisations.
What is the average AAT salary?
AAT’s 2025 survey puts the median at £38,188 for full members (MAAT) and £50,000 for fellows (FMAAT). Students earn a median of £27,000 to £28,750.
Do ACCA or ACA accountants earn more?
Hays’s 2026 figures show ACCA finalists typically on more than ACA finalists, at £60,000 against £46,000 in London. After qualifying, Hays gives one newly qualified figure for all qualifications.
Which UK region pays accountants the most?
London pays the most, followed by the South East. Northern Ireland and Wales have the lowest typical newly qualified salaries in Hays’s 2026 guide.
How much does a trainee accountant earn?
Hays puts a typical trainee in general practice at £24,000 to £33,000 depending on region, with London highest.
Sources
Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.